Turntable mounting unit for textile coilers



March 7, 196.7 J. R. wHlTl-:HURST 3,307,225

TURNTABLE MOUNTING UNIT FOR TEXTILE COILERS 4 Sheets-Shee't l Filed July1o, 1964 'I INVENTOR:

Joa- WHITEHmaT TURNTABLE MOUNTING UNIT FOR TEXTILE COILERS Filed July1o, 1964 4 s'heets-shee'fa 2 March 7, 1967 J, R, WHn-EHURST 3,307,225

TURNTABLE MONTING UNIT FOR TEXTILE COILERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July10, 1964 U AIU.

7 llmwwf? No@ @am INVENTOR.' Joa- WHsTE-HURT ATTORNEYS March 7, 1967 1R, WH|TEHUR5T 3,307,225

TURNTABLE MOUNTING UNIT FOR TEXTILE coILIRsy Filed July '10, 1964 4sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.- JOY: E. WHITEHURST ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent O 3,307,225 TURNTABLE MOUNTING UNIT FOR TEXTILE COILERS Joe R.Whitehurst, Bessemer City, N.C., assignor to Ideal Industries, Inc.,Bessemer City, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed July 10,1964, Ser. No. 381,746 9 Claims. (Cl. 19-159) This invention relates toapparatus for coiling textile slivers -into cans and, more especially,to an improved coiler apparatus for accommodating various sizes ofsliver cans.

Conventionally, existing coiler heads, associated with carding, drawing,combing or other textile machines, are connected to correspondingturntables by gearing adjacent upper and lower ends of a substantiallyupright coiler shaft driven 'by the textile machine. The vertical axesof the turntable and the sliver-feeding coiler plate or tube gear of thecoiler head are relatively eccentric in accordance with the circularpath traced by the throat of the coiler plate, and the diameter of thecan.

For various reasons, the most suitable diameter for the can in whichsliver is packed has not 'been standardized in the textile industry.Many existing coiler units were originally installed -to accommodatecans of relatively small diameter and, with technical advances in sliverproducing machinery, it has been found desirable to change to cans oflarger diameter. Even then, the ultimate size can may not have beendetermined. Whenever a change is made in the size of the cans,corresponding changes must be made in the speed ratio of the turntableto the coiler plate and in the relative positions thereof.

However, most prior art coiler units cannot be adjusted to accommodatechanges in the diameter of the cans or changes in the diameter or sizeof the sliver. Thus, it becomes necessary to replace the entire coilerunit or substantial portions thereof when changing to cans of differentdiameter. I am aware of at least one prior type of coiler unit, such asis disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,832,099, embodying adjustment means toaccommodate cans of varying diameters, but in addition to being quitecomplicated and constructed of numerous parts, the turntable of theknown adjustable coiler unit can 'be adjusted only angularly about theaxis of the coiler shaft and cannot 'be utilized therefore to permitadjustment of two or more turntables driven by a common coiler shaft, asis desirable in drawing or -gilling machines, for example, equipped withtwo or more coiler heads.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved coilerturntable mounting unit including means for adjusting the turntable in alinear manner relative to a coiler head thereabove, wherein theturntable is adapted to be driven from the usual coiler shaft with Verylittle, if any, modification of an existing machine with which themounting unit is used.

It is another object of this invention `to provide a turntable mountingunit of the character described which is easily adjustable, includes asmall number of parts, is of simple, economical construction, and iseasily installed and maintained.

Still another object is to provide a mounting unit for accommodating twoor more turntables adapted to be driven from a single coiler shaft andincluding means for adjusting all the turntables in a linear manner in ahorizontal plane relative to corresponding coiler heads and the coilershaft.

Another object is to provide a mounting unit of the character describedincluding a carriage in which the turntable or turntables are journaled,with means supporting the carriage for adjustment along a line toward"ice and away from the axes of the coiler heads, which line is tangentto a circle generated about the axis of the coiler shaft, `and whereingear means interconnects the turntables and the coiler shaft and isadjustable, at least in part, to compensate for variation indisplacement between the axis of the coiler shaft and the axes of theturntables resulting Ifrom adjustment of the carriage.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection withthe accompanyingI drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view ofa preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the same exemplified in association with a drawing frame, onlyportions of the front ofthe drawing frame being shown and some of theparts Ibeing shown schematically, broken away, and in cross-section;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the turntable mounting unitomitting associated gearing;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the turntable mounting unit partially insection and showing the turntables in phantom lines, and looking downsubstantially along line 3 3 in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional plan view taken immediately below `the level ofthe top wall of the upper support member or turntable carriage holder,with the axes of the turntables adjusted further forwardly than they arein FIGURE 3, and showin-g the gearing which connects the turntables tothe upright coiler shaft;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially along line 5 5 in FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 6 6 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 7 7 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 are schematic plan views illustrating the relativepositions of one of the coile-r plates or tube gears and a correspondingturntable therebeneath when accommodating cans of different diameters.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and more particularly toFIGURES 1-7, a preferred embodiment of the turntable mounting unit ofthe present invention is shown largely positioned between the head-endand footend frame members 10, 11 of a two-delivery drawing frame. Thedrawing frame has two drafting zones 12, 12', shown schematically inFIGURE l, from which respective webs of drafted fibers are delivered andwhich pass therefrom and are condensed in a well-known man ner, by meansnot shown, into respective slivers S, S. The slivers then pass to tubegears or coilers plates 13,

` 13 of respective coiler heads broadly designated at 14, 14.y

. Tube gears 13, 13 are driven in a conventional manner by means ofrespective gears 15, 15' connected by suitable gearing contained in gearhousings 16, 16' to a substantially horizontal shaft 17 carried by theframe of the drawing frame and being driven in timed relation to thedrafting zones 12, 12'. Shaft 17 also drives a conventional uprightcoiler shaft 20 through a train of gears 21. Although coiler shaft 20may be conventional, its lower end is mounted in a manner peculiar tothe present invention as will be later described.

As is usual, tube gears 13, 13' are spaced above respectivecoiler-can-supporting turntables 25, 25', and the throats or dischargeopenings of tube gears 13, 13 trace respective circular paths, generatedabout axes eccentric with respect to the axes of the correspondingturntables 25, 25', for depositing or laying slivers S, S' in respectivecoiler cans 26, 26' in the form of somewhat elliptically-shaped coils.Usually, as the coils of sliver are deposited in each can, they areformed so their greatest diameter is less than the inner diameter of thecorresponding coiler can with the outside of the coils being depositedclosely adjacent the cylindrical wall of the corresponding can. Itfollows, therefore, that it is desirable to be able to adjust each tubegear and corresponding turntable relative to each other to compensatefor changes in the size, such as weight and diameter, of the slivers S,S. More importantly, however, it is highly desirable that the relativepositions of the tube gears 13, 13and respective turntables 25, 25 areadjustable in order to accommodate changes in the diameter of the coilercans 26, 26.

In order to provide for such relative adjustment between the coiler tubegears 13, 13 and the turntables 25, 25', I have provided a novel andimproved turntable mounting unit, broadly designated at 30, and whichcornprises an elongate, substantially rectangular base or housing 31, anelongate table carriage or first support member 32, and an elongatecarriage holder or second support member 33 which also serves as aplatform or cover for the unit. Base 31 may be suitably secured to orupon any desired surface, such as the lloor which supports the machine,provided that base 31 is in xed relation to the machine. In theillustrated embodiment, base 31 is suitably secured to and spans thedistance between frame members 10, 11 of the drawing frame.

The right-hand end of base 31 (FIGURES 1 4) is positioned against andwelded or otherwise secured to the inner wall of foot-end frame member11. The left-hand end of base 31 extends through a suitable opening 36in the inner wall of head-end frame member and is welded or otherw-isesuitably secured to the latter wall. As best shown in FIGURE 2, base 31includes opposed side flanges a, b connected to opposed end anges c, d.The bottom edges of flanges a-d may be connected to a bottom wall 37,although bottom wall 37 may be omitted, if desired.

Opposed end portions of base side ilanges a, b have respectiverelatively narrow forwardly and rearwardly extending top plates 40, 41suitably secured thereto whose distal edge portions may be suitablysecured to corresponding end flanges c, d. It should be noted that topplate 40 is largely positioned within hollow headend frame member 10 andis provided with an access opening 42 therethrough to permit access tocertain gears within the corresponding end portion of base 31, as willbe later described..

As is conventional in many drawing frames, upright coiler shaft is ofcomposite construction', i.e., it includes a pair of upper and loweralined shaft sections 20a, 2017 detachably interconnected by a pair ofmating toothed couplings 20c, 20d (FIGURES 1 and 7). The reduced lowerend of lower shaft section 20b penetrates and is journaled in a bearing45 whose housing is suitably secured to top plate 40. The reduced lowerend of shaft section 201) also loosely penetrates top plate 40 and has agear 46 removably secured thereon, as by a set screw 48. Gear 46 isadapted to engage an adjustable gear 47 (FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 7)journaled on a sleeve 49 mounted on a shoulder bolt 50. Gear 47 has arelatively small gear 51 integral therewith or suitably secured thereto.

The shouldered lower portion of bolt 50 is loosely positioned in anarcuate slot 53 formed in a bottom end plate 54 of table carriage 32. Itshould be noted that bottom end plate 54 is spaced beneath top end plate40 of base 31, and the entire table carriage 32 loosely fits between theopposed side flanges a, b of base 31 so it may be adjusted. forwardlyand rearwardly between flanges a, b.

In order that the position of gears 47, 51 may be adjusted along slot53, shoulder bolt 50 has a pair of washers e, f engaging the upper andlower ends of sleeve 49, and a nut 55 is threaded onto the upper end ofshoulder bolt 50 for securing the same in the desired adjusted positionwhile permitting free rotation of gears 47, 51.

Table carriage 32 comprises also front and rear opposed side i'langes56, 57 and opposed end flanges 58, 59. A top wall 60 connected to theopposed side flanges 56, 57 is also connected to end flange 59. However,the end of top wall 60, adjacent the arcuate adjustment slot 53 forchange gears 47, 51, terminates a substantial distance short of endflange 53 to provide an opening suf- Iiciently large to facilitateadjusting and/ or replacing gears 46, 47, 51 and other gears to bepresently described mounted on bottom end plate 54 of table carriage 32.A medial portion of the flange 58 may be cut away as shown in FIGURES 2,4 and 7, to accommodate change gear 47. It will be noted that bottom endplate 54 underlies only a very small portion of top wall 60 so thatgears mounted thereon are readily accessible from beneath table carriage32. s

Gear 51 meshes with a relatively large idler gear 65 having a smallidler gear 66 suitably secured thereto or formed integral therewith andprojecting upwardly therefrom. Gears `65, 66 are journaled on a screw 67(FIGURE 5) in substantially the same manner as gears 47, 51 arejournaled on bolt 50. The lower end of screw 67 is threaded into bottomend plate 54 of table carriage 32. Gears 46, 47, 51, 65, 66 serve aschange gears.

Gear 66 meshes with the first of .a series of intermeshing gears 70-73.Gears 70, 72 are idler gears journaled on studs or screws 75 threadedinto and depending from top wall 60 of tab-le carriage 32. Gears 71, 73are keyed on the reduced lower ends of shafts or hubs 76, 77 (FIG- URES4 and 5) for the respective turntables 25, 25. Shafts 76, 77 aresuitably secured to turntables 25, 25 as by screws 78. The reduced lowerportions of shafts 76, 77 are journaled in and extend through top wall60 of table carriage 32. Preferably, shafts 76, 77 are journaled in saidtop wall 60 by means of anti-friction bearings 80, 81 (FIGURES 2, 3 and5), and the enlarged upper portions of shafts 76, 77 rest upon theanti-friction bearings as best shown in FIGURE 5.

Table carriage 32, along with the turntables anda-ll the gears carriedthereby, is -adjustably suspended from carriage holder 33 which, inturn, rests upon base 31. Carriage holder 32 comprises a substantiallyrectangular, elongate, platform 85 with dependent longitudinallyextending flanges 86, S7 on opposite sides thereof spa-ced further apartthan the distance between the distal surfaces of anges a, b of base 31.Thus, flanges 86, 87 may loosely straddle flanges a, b when theturntable mounting unit 30 is assembled. Set screws 88 are provided inflange 87 for releasably securing carriage holder 33 to base 31. Thedistance between the proximal edges of top end plates 40, 41 of base 31is substantially the same as, or slightly greater than, the length ofplatform 85 of carriage holder 33 so that, when turntable mounting unit30 is assembled, carriage holder 33 is positioned in predeterminedrelationship to coiler shaft 20 and turntables 25, 25' are properlypositioned with their axes forwardly of the vertical plane of the axesof tube gears 13, 13.

Platform S5 of carriage holder 33 is provided with a plurality ofelongate, forwardly and rearwardly extending or transverse, adjustmentslots 90, there being four such slots provided in this instance, whichregister with corresponding threaded holes 91 formed in top wall 60 oftable carriage 32 (FIGURE 2) for threadedly receiving respectiveadjustment screws 92 therein. Platform 85 also has a pair oflongitudinally spaced openings 95, 95 therethrough which aresubstantially larger than the enlarged lupper portions of turntableshafts 76, 77 and may be elongated transversely of platform 85 to enableforward and rearward adjustment of table carriage 32 while it ispositioned between anges a, b of base 31. The various elements ofturntable mounting unit 30 are constructed in the manner described sothat they may be easily assembled and disassembled in addition tofacilitating adjustment of turntable 25, 25 in a substantiallyhorizontal plane relative to the tube gears 13, 13' and tangentially ofan imaginary circle generated about the axis of coiler shaft 20.Conveniently, in -assembling turntable mounting unit 30, and assumingthat base 31 has already been secured to the drawing frame in the mannerheretofore described, table carriage 32 may be secured to platform 85 ofcarriage holder 33 by screws 92 and then all the gears and theturntables may be mounted on table carriage 32 in the manner heretoforedescribed.

When table carriage 32 is secured to carriage holder 33, the right-handend of table carriage 32 is substantially flush with or spaced inwardlyof the corresponding end of -platform 85. Thus, the next step inassembling the mounting unit may comprise holding the previouslyassembled carriage 32 and carri-age holder 33 at an angle whileinserting the left-hand end portion of carriage 32 (FIGURES 2, 3, 4,Iand 5) lbetween flanges a, b and beneath top end plate 42 of base 31,during which the left-hand end edge of platform 85 is positioned againstthe adjacent inner edge of top end plate 40.

Thereafter, table carriage 32 and holder 33 are lowered, with flanges86, 87 straddling flanges a, b and with opposed sides of table carriage32 spaced inwardly of flanges a, b, until platform 85 rests upon flangesa, b of base 31. At this time, platform 85 will fit neatly Ibetween theproximal edges of top end plates 40, 41 of base 31. Flanges S6, 87loosely straddle flanges a, b to an extent permitting ease in assemblingand disassembling mounting unit 30. In order to insure that carriageholder 33 rem-ains in fixed relation to base 31, the set screws 83 maythreadedly penetrate flange 87 and may be tightened against rear flangeb of base 31 after the elements are assembled.

Before or after table carriage 32 is positioned in base 31, gear 46(FIGURE 7) is secured on the lower end of coiler shaft 20 and, aftertable carriage 32 and carriage holder 33 are assembled with base 31,gears 47, 51 (FIGURES 5 and 7) :are adjusted along the arcuate slot 53,which is lgenerated about the axis of gears 65, 66, until gears 47, 51are in proper intermeshing engagement with the respective gears 46, 65.Preferably, the inner wall of head-end frame member of the drawingframe, adjacent and :above turntable mounting unit 30, is provided withan access opening 101 suliciently large to permit installation andremoval of gears 46, 47, 51 and adjustment of gears 47, 51 and shoulderbolt 50 along slot 53. When the machine is operating, opening 101 may beclosed Iby a cover or door 102 removably secured to the correspondingwall of head-end frame member 10 (FIGURES l and 5) as by screws 103.

In FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, the smaller circles 13a, 13b, 13C represent thepaths traced by the center of the throats of tube gears, such as thetube gear 13 of FIGURE l, relative to the inner peripheries ofcorresponding cans represented by the circles 26a, 2617, 26e and whereinthe cans are of different diameters. By way of example, the can circles26a, 26h, 26e are l5 inches and 24 inches in diameter, respectively,15-inch and 24- inch cans respectively are about the smallest andlargest diameters Vof cans currently in use in the textile industry. Thediameter of the path of the throat of a tube gear, which is generallyknown as the throw of a tube gear, usually is about two-thirds of thediameter of the corresponding can, and the portion of such path which ismost closely adjacent the vertical plane of the inner surface of thecorresponding can is located inwardly of the vertical plane of the canwall a distance substantially equal to the radius of the sliver which,by way of example, shall be called one-half inch.

It follows, therefore, that the diameters of the tube gear throw circles13a, 13b, 13e would be approximately l0 inches, 13.333 inches and 16inches, respectively, and the distances X, X', X between the axes of therespective circles 13a, 26a; 13b, 2617; 13C, 26C would be about 2inches, 2.834 inches and 3.50 inches, respectively. The relativepositions of tube gears 13, 13 and turntables 25, 25 is such that animaginary horizontal straight line through the planes of the verticalaxes of each tube gear and the corresponding turntable extends forwardlyand rearwardly substantially parallel to the adjustment slots incarriage holder 33 so that any adjustment of table carriage 32 andturntables 25, 25 is effected substantially radially of the axes of thetube gears 13, 13. In other words, any adjustment of turntables 25, 25'effects a substantially equal adjustment in the displacement between theaxes of tube gears 13, 13 and the respective turntables 25, 25.

Assuming that the sliver producing machine -or drawing frame wasoriginally constructed to accommodate cans of 15 inches internaldiameter, the axis of the coiler can and turntable in FIGURE 8 wouldoccupy a position represented by the fixation line Y relative to thebase 31. Since this is the smallest diameter of throw of the coiler tubegear and the smallest diameter can which might be used, the turntablecarriage then may occupy its rearmost position relative to base 31 landcarriage holder 33 as shown in FIGURE 3.

When the machine is to be changed to accommodate cans of 20 inchesinside diameter as shown in FIGURE 9, although the coiler tube gear thenbeing used may be of the same external diameter as the coiler tube gearused in the example of FIGURE 8, t-he throw of the tube gear would beapproximately 13.333 inches. Accordingly, instead of the correspondingturntable being `adjusted forwardly (away from the drafting zones of thedarwing frame) a distance equal to the difference between the relativediameters of the 15-inch and 20- inch cans, the turntable would beadjusted forwardly only a distance Y (FIGURE 9) from fixation line Y ofabout .833 of an inch. When changing the machine from accommodating cansof l5 inches internal diameter to cans of 24 inches internal diameter,the tube gears of l0 inches throw are replaced by tube gears of 16inches throw. Here again, since the laxis of the tube gear remainsconstant with respect to the machine and fixation line Y, the coilerturntables, while being enlarged to accommodate the larger cans, areadjusted forwardly only the relatively small distance Y of FIGURE 10 ofabout 11/2 inches.

The operations involved in changing the machine so that it mayaccmomodate larger coiler cans are as follows:

The tube gears 13, 13 are replaced by tube gears having a larger throwand corresponding gears 15 are replaced by smaller gears. T-he smallersize turntables 25, 25' are then replaced with larger turntables of thedesired diameter, by loosening the screws 72, lifting the smallerturntables off the enlarged upper portions of the corresponding shafts76, 77, then placing larger turntables on the shaft 76, 77 and fasteningthe larger turntables to the shafts 76, 77 by the screws 78.

The adjustment screws 92 are then loosened without completelywithdrawing them from the corresponding threaded holes 91 in turntablecarriage 32 (FIGURE 2), whereupon the operator grasps the turntables andmoves them forwardly the desired distance, thus causing table carriage32 and the gears carried thereby to move forwardly therewith. Screws 92are then tightened to lock table carriage 32 and the larger turntables25, 25 in the adjusted position.

When going to a larger size can, the inside diameter of the can isnecessarily proportionally greater than the diameter of the throw of thenew tube gears, thus requiring that the speed of the turntables beincreased relative to the speed of the tube gears 13, 13' in order thatthe slivers S, S are properly coiled in the cans. Therefore, it thenbecomes necessary to remove door 102 (FIGURES l and and replace gear 46(FIGURE 7) -on the lower end of coiler shaft 20 with a gear of largerdiameter, whereupon the gears 47, 51 (FIGURE 5) are adjusted in themanner heretofore described so that they mesh with the correspondinggears 46, 65. Alternatively, gears 47, 51, 65 may be replaced with gearsof different diameters.

It is important to note that, since carriage 32 is adjusted tangentiallyof a circle generated about the axis of coiler shaft 20 whenever it isadjusted toward or away from the axis of coiler plates 13, 13', thegears 47, 51 are adjusted thereafter to compensate for variation indisplacement between gears 46, 71 resulting from adjustrnent of carriage32. Such compensating feature is necessary even though the size of oneor more of the gears 46, 47, 51, 65, 66, 70 may be changed in effectingthe desired speed ratio between coiler plates 13, 13 and turntables 25,25'.

The reason for providing the couplings 20c, 20d interconnecting the twosections 20a, 2Gb of coiler shaft 20 is to facilitate installation andremoval of shaft 20 when mounting unit 30 is originally installed or inthe event that it becomes necessary to replace the coiler shaft foranyvreason subsequent to its original installation. Usually, shaft 20 issimply keyed in the corresponding gear of the train 21 so that, afterremoving gear 46 from the lower end of section Ziib of coiler shaft 20,the upper section 20a of shaft 20 may be raised to lift coupling 20c outof engagement with coupling Ziid and shaft section 20h then may beraised to withdraw the same from bearing 45, whereupon shaft section 20amay be lowered to Withdraw the same from engagement with thecorresponding gear in train 21.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that, whenever turntables25, 2S' are adusted forwardly or rearwardly relative to the coiler tubegears 13, 13', turntables 25, 25' .are moved in a horizontal plane alonglines parallel to the chord of an imaginary circle generated about theaxis of coiler shaft 20, rather than being adjusted along a lineradially or angularly of the .axis of the coiler shaft 20. It can beseen that, regardless of whether the sliver producing machine isprovided with a single coiler head or a row of several coiler heads, theturntables are adjustable in substantially radial planes with respect tothe axes of the tube gears so the turntables may be shifted to betteraccommodate various diameters of coiler cans and to accommodatevariations in the diameter or size of different slivers being producedon the machine.

Although three specific examples of tube gear-coiler can combinationsare disclosed herein, it is apparent that turntable mounting unit 30 maybe adapted for many different sizes of coiler cans. Coiler plates otherthan tube gears, but which perform substantially the same function astube gears, may be used with the turntable mounting unit 30 of thepresent invention.

The illustrated embodiment is particularly applicable for installationduring the manufacture of new drawing frames or the like, but it isapparent that the turntable mounting unit may be used with other typesof machines with very little if any modification of the existingmachines being required to accommodate the turntable mounting unit 30.For example, some drawing frames have the coiler shaft exposed ratherthan being positioned within a hollow head-end frame member as disclosedherein. In the latter instance, the base 31 of the mounting unit 30could then be secured to t-he floor in the proper position relative tothe corresponding drawing frame.

In the drawings and specification there |has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although speciiic terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. In a coiler apparatus for laying sliver in cans and having at leastone coiler head including a rotary coiler member provided with aneccentric throat through which sliver passes to a can therebeneath, andan upright coiler shaft operatively connected to said member and havinga gear on its lower portion; the combination of (a) a turntable carriagespaced beneath said member,

(b) a turntable journaled on a vertical axis in said carriage,

(c) a stationary base,

(d) a carriage holder carried by said base and overlying said carriage,

(e) means adjustably securing said carriage to said holder foradjustment in a horizontal plane toward and away from the vertical axisof said coiler member, and

(f) gear means carried by said carriage and serving to connect saidcoiler shaft in driving relation to said turntable.

2. In a textile machine having a rotatable coiler turntable and meansfor driving the same, the combination comprising (a) a table carriageholder,

(b) a table carriage beneath said holder,

(c) means adjustably suspending said carriage from said holder forsubstantially linear adjustment in a substantially horizontal plane,

(d) means connected to, substantially concentric with,

and depending from said turntable and being journaled for rotation insaid carriage for being driven by said driving means,

(e) said holder having an opening therethrough through which saidlast-mentioned means loosely extends with the turntable positioned abovesaid holder, and

(f) said opening being of such size as to permit linear adjustment ofsaid carriage and the turntable therewith relative to said holder.

3. Means for supporting and driving a coiler turntable of a textilemachine having a coiler tube gear and driven coiler shaft; said meanscomprising (a) a table carriage holder,

(b) a table carriage beneath said holder,

(c) means adjustably suspending said carriage from said holder forsubstantially linear adjustment in a substantially horizontal plane in adirection radially of the vertical axis of said tube gear,

(d) means substantially concentric with and depending from saidturntable and being journaled for rotation in said carriage,

(e) said holder having an opening therethrough through which saidlast-mentioned means loosely extends With the turntable positioned abovesaid holder,

(f) said opening being o-f such size as to permit linear adjustment ofsaid carriage and the turntable therewith relative to said holder, and

(g) gearing, including at least one radially adjustable gear,operatively connecting said shaft to said turntable.

4. In a coiler apparatus for receiving and coiling textile sliver from asliver producing machine into coiler cans, said apparatus including atleast one rotary coiler plate and an upright coiler shaft off-setrelative to, and operao tively connected to, said coiler plate; thecombination of (a) a substantially rectangular, open-topV base securedin fixed relation to said machine and spaced beneath said coiler plate,

(b) a carriage holder adapted to rest Iupon and overlie said base andbeing detachably secured to said base,

(c) a table carriage including a substantially horizontal wall beneathsaid holder and loosely fitting within said base,

(d) a turntable shaft journaled on a substantially vertical axis andpenetrating said wall and also loosely penetrating said holder,

(e) means adjustably securing said carriage to said holder 'foradjustment toward and away from the vertical axis of said coiler plate,

(f) a turntable fixed to the upper end of said turntable shaft, and

(g) gears beneath said wall and operatively interconnecting said shafts.

5. In a sliver producing machine having a hollow end frame member, atleast one rotary coiler plate -for coiling sliver into cans therebeneathand an upright coiler shaft within said frame member operativelyconnected to said coiler plate; the combination of (a) a substantiallyrectangular, open-topped, hollow base projecting into a lower portion ofsaid frame member and spaced beneath said coiler plate,

(b) a table carriage loosely positioned within said base and comprisinga top wall having one of its end edges terminating short of that end ofsaid base projecting into said frame member, said carriage also having abottom wall adjacent the last-mentioned end thereof,

(c) a carriage holder platform overlying and resting upon and beingsecured to said base externally of said lframe member and from whichsaid carriage is adjustably suspended for adjustment toward and awayfrom the vertical axis of said coiler plate,

(d) a turntable shaft journaled on a vertical axis in and penetratingsaid top wall and loosely penetrating said platform,

(e) a can-supporting turntable secured to the upper end of saidturntable shaft,

(f) a turntable gear fixed on the lower end of said turntable shaft,

g) a plurality of gears connecting said turntable gear to said coilershaft, at least some of the gears in said plurality being journaled onsaid bottom wall and at least two of said some of the gears beingaxially alined and horizontally adjustable on said bottom wall.

6. In a sliver producing machine having at least two coiler plates forlaying sliver in corresponding cans, and an upright coiler shaft commonto and operatively connected to said coiler plates; the combinationtherewith of (a) a turntable carriage spaced beneath said coiler plates,

(b) a turntable for each coiler plate and being journaled in saidcarriage,

(c) supporting means secured in fixed relation to said machine,

(d) means adjustably securing said carriage to said supporting means foradjustment of the axes of said turntables journaled therein toward andaway from the vertical axes of the respective coiler plates and relativeto said coiler shaft, and

(e) gear means interconnecting said turntables and said coiler shaft andbeing adjustable, at least in part, to compensate for variation in thedistance between said turntables and said coiler shaft resulting fromadjustment of said carriage.

7. In a coiler apparatus for laying sliver in cans and having at leastone coiler plate provided with an eccentric throat through which sliverpasses to a can therebeneath, and an upright coiler shaft operativelyconnected to said l@ plate and having a first gear on its lower portion;the combination of (a) a turntable carriage spaced beneath said coilerplate,

(b) a turntable journaled in said carriage,

(c) a `second gear fixed in axial relation to said turntable,

(d) means supporting said carriage for adjustment in a horizontal planetoward and away from the vertical axis of said coiler plate,

(e) gear means carried by said carriage and effecting a drivingconnection between said first and second gears, said gear means beingadjustable, at least in part, to compensate for variation in thedistance between said first and second gears resulting from adjustmentof said carriage, and

(f) said turntable carriage comprising a substantially horizontal wall,said turntable being located above said wall, and said second gear andsaid gear means being located beneath the level of the lower surface ofsaid `wall and being contained by said carriage.

8. In a coiler apparat-us for laying sliver in cans and having at leastone coiler plate provided with an eccentric throat through which sliverpasses to a can therebeneath, and an upright coiler sha-ft operativelyconnected to said plate and having a first gear on its lower portion;the combination of (a) a turntable carriage spaced beneath said coilerplate,

(b) a turntable journaled in said carriage,

(c) a second gear fixed in axial relation to said turntable,

(d) means supporting said carriage for adjustment in a horizontal planetoward and away from the vertical axis of -said coiler plate andcomprising a carriage holder overlying said carriage and having aplurality of elongate slots therein, said carriage having screwreceivingholes therein alined with said slots, and screws in said holes andloosely penetrating said slots for guiding said carriage duringadjustment thereof and for securing said carriage in adjusted position,and

(e) gear means carried by said carriage and effecting a drivingconnection between said first and second gears, said gear means beingadjustable, at least in part, to compensate for variation in thedistance between said first and second gears resulting from adjustmentof said carriage.

9. A structure according to `claim 4, wherein said gears include a firstgear fixed on said coiler shaft, a second gear mounted on a fixedrotational axis and carried by said carriage, and a pair of axiallyalined gears engaging the respective first and second gears and beingadjustable in a substantially horizontal plane on said carriage andrelative to said shafts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,578,921 3/1926Roe et al 19-159 2,832,099 4/1958 Jackson 19--159 2,975,489 3/ 1961Whitehurst 19-159 2,976,581 3/1961 Van Deusen 19-159 ROBERT R. MACKEY,Primary Examiner.

7. IN A COILER APPARATUS FOR LAYING SLIVER IN CANS AND HAVING AT LEASTONE COILER PLATE PROVIDED WITH AN ECCENTRIC THROAT THROUGH WHICH SLIVERPASSES TO A CAN THEREBENEATH, AND AN UPRIGHT COILER SHAFT OPERATIVELYCONNECTED TO SAID PLATE AND HAVING A FIRST GEAR ON ITS LOWER PORTION;THE COMBINATION OF (A) A TURNTABLE CARRIAGE SPACED BENEATH SAID COILERPLATE, (B) A TURNTABLE JOURNALED IN SAID CARRIAGE, (C) A SECOND GEARFIXED IN AXIAL RELATION TO SAID TURNTABLE, (D) MEANS SUPPORTING SAIDCARRIAGE FOR ADJUSTMENT IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THEVERTICAL AXIS OF SAID COILER PLATE, (E) GEAR MEANS CARRIED BY SAIDCARRIAGE AND EFFECTING A DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID FIRST ANDSECOND GEARS, SAID GEAR MEANS BEING ADJUSTABLE, AT LEAST IN PART, TOCOMPENSATE FOR VARIATION IN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECONDGEARS RESULTING FROM ADJUSTMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE, AND (F) SAID TURNTABLECARRIAGE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL WALL, SAID TURNTABLEBEING LOCATED ABOVE SAID WALL, AND SAID SECOND GEAR AND SAID GEAR MEANSBEING LOCATED BENEATH THE LEVEL OF THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID WALL ANDBEING CONTAINED BY SAID CARRIAGE.